Developer for photocopying machines



Nov. 26, 1940- R. H. FULLERTON DEVELOPER FOR PHOTOGOPYING MACHINES Filed May 19, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 26, 1940. R. H. FULLERTON DEVELOPER FOR PHOTOCOPYING MACHINES Filed May 19, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov- 25, 1940 R. H. FULLERTON DEVELOPER FOR PHOTOCOPYING MACHINES 19, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May Jaws n 0'0 H.

Patented Nov. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEVELOPER FOR PHOTOCOPYIN G MACHINE S Minnesota Application May 19, 1939, Serial No. 274,551

15 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in developer tanks wherein it is desired to provide a simple and effective mechanism for moving sensitized paper which has been exposed through a developer solution.

It is common knowledge that after a sheet of paper coated with a film sensitive to light has been exposed, it is next introduced into a tank of developer so that the exposure upon the same may be developed. This action must take place in complete darkness as the film would otherwise be blurred or exposed during the developing process. The present invention defines a manner of controlling a sheet of sensitized paper or 35 the like While it is in the developer and to carry the sheet through the developing solution and to expel the same when desired.

The particular problem with which the present invention is involved relates to the handling of a 2*.) sheet of paper which has been detached from a roll of paper and todraw this paper through a developing solution so as to fully develop the sheet without exposing the same to light. It is also necessary to urge the sheet out of the de- 5 veloper after it has remained in the same for the necessary period of time.

It is a feature of my invention to provide a developer tank having an inlet and an outlet and having spaced curved guides for guiding the sen- 30' sitized paper from the inlet to the outlet. These guides are curved so that the sheet will pass beneath the surface of the developing solution and will therefore cause this solution to contact every part of the surface of the sheet.

35 It is a further object of my invention to provide guides for defining a path for sheets of paper through a developer solution and to provide a series of fingers which engage the surface of the sheet and urge the sheet toward the outlet 4.0 end of the tank. These fingers are arranged out of contact with the sheet when the sheet is inserted so that they do not hinder the proper insertion of the sheet into the tank. The means for moving the fingers, however, moves the same 45 into contact with the sheets after the sheet has been partially inserted into the tank and forces the sheet toward the outlet.

It is a feature of my invention that the fingers for urging the sheets toward the outlet end of the developer tank are operated and constructed so that the fingers remain out of contact with the sensitized sheet during the return movement of these fingers into starting position. The supporting means for the fingers is so constructed 55 that at the completion of its forward stroke, the

supporting means for the fingers draws the fingers away from the sheets and holds the fingers retracted as the fingers are swung back into the starting position. This is important as by this means the sheets may be moved a definite distance for each forward operation thereof, and the operator is thereby able to determine the amount of movement of the sheets within the tank.

It is a further feature of my invention to pro- 10 vide a developer tank having an inlet and an outlet thereto and having guides for guiding the paper from the inlet to the outlet, and to construct these guides of wires or other spaced means which contact the surfaces of the sheet over the i5 smallest possible radius. It will be seen that as the sensitized sheets move through the developer, such a small area of the sheets rests against the supporting bars or rods that the entire surface of the sheet will become moistened with the developer virtually instantly.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of my specification:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view through a photostatie machine illustrating the relative position between the developer tank and the remainder of the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through one end of the developer tank showing the finger supporting means in one position in full lines, and in another position in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 showing the finger supporting means during its return stroke showing the manner in which the fingers are retracted from-engagement with the sheets during this return stroke.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through the developer tank, the section being taken at a point near the center of the tank to show the position of the guides therein.

Figure 5 is a section taken on a horizontal plane just beneath the cover of the developer tank, the position of the section being indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

' Figure 6 is a Vertical section through a portion of the box on the line 6-6 in Figure 4, illustrating the guide arrangement therein. 59

The developer tank A is particularly designed for use in combination with the photostatic machine B which includes as illustrated, the bellows l0, lens ll, translucent plate l2, and guide plate [3. The sensitized paper moves from the roll M aluminum in in the supply chamber l5, through the aperture l5, and between the plates l2 and I3, and between the operating rollers By means of these rollers the sheet may be inserted into the developer tank A and upon emerging from this tank, the paper is placed in a fixing bath IS in the usual manner. A knife 26 of any suitable type may be mounted adjacent the roller I! to cut off the sheet at any desired point to provide the proper size picture.

A developer tank A comprises a pan-shaped receptacle 2| having a bottom 22, side walls 23, a front wall 24, and a rear wall 25. The receptacle 2| is open at the top and a closure plate 26 is hinged to the rear wall 25 at 21. A hinge bracket 29 is provided on the front wall 24 of the pan to which the fixing tray l9 may be pivoted if desired.

A pair of inner supports 36 are secured to the top closure plate 26 and a false bottom plate 32 having a series of openings 33 therein is secured between these side supports 36. All of the paper guiding mechanism is supported by the top plate 26 between this plate and the false bottom plate 32 in order that the entire guiding mechanism may be pivoted out of engagement with the developer and so that the developer may be readily changed when necessary.

Guide wires or rods 34 and 35 are secured at one end in channels 36 secured in a'slot in the top closure plate 26. The slot is formed by bending down a pair of flanges 31 from the cover plate most of the distance between the sides of this closure plate. The ends of the guide rods 34 and 35 extend within this slot formed between the flanges 31 and are secured to the top closure plate thereby.

The rods 34 and 35 are maintained in predetermined spaced relationship between their ends so that the sheets of paper may be guided between the same. The rods 34 and 35 are bent rearwardly toward the rear wall and spaced but slightly from the top closure plate. They are secured to the top closure plate by cross braces 39 and 46 which are secured to the top closure plate 26 in the manner best illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings. The guides 34 and 35 are then bent in looped formation down into close proximity with the false bottom 43 and from a point near the center of the tank are curved upwardly on a continuous arc to the discharge end of the tank.

The guide wires or rods 35 form the bottom wires of the upper portion of the path, but form the top wires of the lower portion of the path for the paper sheets, and are secured at their extremities 4| to the top closure plate 26. The other guide wires or rods 34 form the top portion of the guide at the top of the tank, but form the lower guide wires for the remainder of the path of the paper sheets, and the extremities 42 thereof are secured to a curved sheet 43 of metal forming a part of the outlet spout 44. A guide deflecting sheet 45 is bent into substantially parallel relation with the sheet 43 and is slotted to fit through the guide wires 34. This sheet 45 guides the paper sheets out through the outlet spout 44. End supports 46 are secured to the ends of the sheets 43 and 45 and to the side edge of the top closure plate 26 to keep the closure at the outlet end of the tank.

As will be seen from Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, the guide rods or wires 34 and 35- are staggered so that theguide wires 34 are intermediate the guide wires 35. This is important in the operation of the developer tank. It will be noted that sheets of paper may enter the top of the tank in the slot between the flanges 31 and may pass between the guide wires 34 and 35 throughout the entire length thereof, being guided out through the outlet spout 34.

A shaft 41 extends between the side supports 36 and through a notch 49 in the side walls 23 of the outer container 2|. This shaft 41 is rotatably supported by the side supports 36 and may be rotated by means of a crank lever 50 or other suitable rotating means engageable in a socket 5| in one end of the shaft '41. An arm 52 is secured for rotation with the shaft 41 near each end of the shaft just within the side supports 36, and a lever 53 is secured by the pivot 54 to the arm 52. The lever 53 is provided with a stop shoulder 55 which engages the arm 52 to limit pivotal movement about the pivot 54 in one direction. A spring 56 is anchored at one end at 51 to the lever 53, coils freely around the shaft 41 and is anchored at 59 to the top closure plate 26. This spring 56 tends to keep the lever 53 aligned with the arm 52 and keeps the stop shoulder 55 in engagement with the side ofthe arm 52. The construction on both ends of the shaft 41 is identical.

Between the levers 53 I provide a cross arm 63 which is provided with a pair of clamping plates 6| on each side of the same. These clamping plates are secured together by clamping bolts 6|. Fingers 62 formed of soft rubber or other flexible resilient material capable of resisting the developer, are clamped between the clamping plates 6| at suitable intervals. If desired the fingers may be in the form of a continuous comb with the fingers taking the place of the teeth of the comb. These fingers 62 as illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings are of suitable width to extend between adjacent guide wires 35 and to contact the guide wires 34. Thus if a sheet of sensitized paper is positioned between the guide wires 34 and 35 in the lower portion of the track formed thereby, the fingers 62 will clamp the paper against the guide wires 34, and the movement of the supporting means including the arms 52 and the levers 53 with the shaft 41 will draw the paper sheets along the guide members 34 toward the outlet spout 44. a a

It is obvious that if the fingers 62 remained in contact with the paper sheets during the rer turn movement of the finger supporting means, the movement of the sheets would be reversed, and these sheets would be moved back toward the inlet rather than toward the outlet. Accordingly, I provide a means for withdrawing contact between the fingers 62 and the sheets during the return movement of the finger supporting means. It is to accomplish this result that I provide a cam 63 on the supporting members 36, and provide pin or roller means 64 upon the levers 53 engageable with this cam. During movement of the arms 52 and levers 53 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the

- pin 64 rides over the arcuated lower surface 65 lever 66 into the full-line position illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, and the arm 52 and lever 53 will assume the position illustrated in dotted-outline in Figure 2. When the pin 64 is engaged in the notch 69, it will be obvious that the arm 52 and lever 53 cannot be moved farther in a clockwise direction.

Movement of the arm 52 and lever 53 in a clockwise direction compresses the spring 56, and therefore when the end of the clockwise movement is reached, if the operating lever 50 is released, these springs 56 will return the finger supporting means into starting position. Obviously, however, the lever 53 and arm 52 cannot remain aligned during the return movement, as the notch 69 is in registry with the upper surface 12 of the cam 63. Therefore, the tendency caused by the spring 56 for the shaft 41 to be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction will cause the arm 52 to pivot out of alignment with the lever 53 as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings so that the pin 64 may ride along the upper surface 72 of the cam 63. Thus while the fingers 62 are being returned to starting position illustrated in full lines in Figure 2, and shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, the fingers are removed from contact with the sheets of paper, and therefore do not effect any movement thereupon. After the pin 64 entirely disengages the upper surface 12 of the cam 63, the spring 56 acts to move the lever 53 into alignment with the arm 52, but by this time the fingers 62 are pivoted out of engagement with the paper between the guides 34 and 35.

From the foregoing description, the operation of my device is believed obvious. In operating my developer tank, I first force a sheet of paper into the developer tank by means such as the drive rollers I! on the camera B, until the lower end of the sheet is positioned at the center of the bottom of the guideway formed by the guide rods 34 and 35. The sheet may then be cut off if it is desired. Rotation of the shaft 41 in a clockwise direction as seen in Figures 2, 3 and 4 moves the fingers 62 into clamping engagement with the paper and draws the paper along the guideway until the pin 64 drops into the notch 69 in the lever 66. The crank handle or operating lever 50 is then either released or rotated in the opposite or counter-clockwise direction. This creates relative angularity between the arm 52 and the lever 53, and the pin 64 rides over the upper surface 12 of the cam 63 holding the fingers 62 in retracted position. This moves the finger supporting means into starting position, whereupon the shaft 41 may again be rotated in a clockwise direction. The fingers 62 again engage the sheet and move the same toward the outlet spout 44. The distance of movement of the sheet is virtually the same for each stroke of the finger supporting means, and therefore the time which any portion of the sheet is in contact with the developer may be easily calculated. The fingers also agitate the developer and cause the same to be splashed upon any portions of the sheet not actually submerged by the developer.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my developer tank; and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that this is only illustrative of a means of carrying out my invention, and that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A developer tank comprising a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet for sheets to be developed, a guide track engaging one side of the sheets, having a relatively low coefncient of friction with the sheets, mounted between said inlet and said outlet, clamping means having a relatively high coefiicient of friction with the sheets engageable with the other side of the sheets on said track clamping said sheets against said track, and means movably mounting said clamping means for propelling the sheets from the inlet to said outlet.

2. A developer tank for developing film sheets comprising a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet, a track engaging one side of said sheets extending between said inlet and said outlet and having a relatively low coefiicient of friction with said sheets, and means propelling said sheets from said inlet to said outlet including a pivotal arm having means thereon of relatively high coefficient of friction with the sheets clamping said sheets against said track, said arm operable, when actuated, to draw the sheets along the track.

3. A developer tank for use with sensitized sheets including a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet for said sheets, a track extending from said inlet to said outlet, a reciprocable arm engageable with said sheets to move said sheets in one direction, and means for holding said reciprocable arm out of contact with said sheets during the movement thereof in the other direction.

4. A developer for use with sensitized sheets comprising a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet for said sheets, a track extending between said inlet and said outlet, a swingable arm engageable with said sheets to urge said sheets in one direction, and means for holding said arm out of contact with said sheets as said arm swings in the other direction.

5. A developer for use with sensitized sheets including a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet, a track extending from said inlet to said outlet having an arcuated portion therein, a swingable means engageable with said sheets on said arcuated portion to move said sheets in one direction, and means retracting said swingable means to hold said swingable means retracted out of contact with said sheets as said swingable means swings in the opposite direction.

6. A developer for use with sensitized sheets comprising a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet for said sheets, spaced guides extending between said inlet and said outlet, and a series of fingers engageable with said sensitized sheets supported by said guides for moving said sheets in one direction.

7. A developer for use with sensitized sheets including a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet for said sheets; spaced guides for guiding said sheets to one end of said receptacle, inverting said sheets, and guiding said sheets to the opposite end of said receptacle; and finger means extending between said spaced guides engageable with said sheets to move said sheets in one direction between said guides.

8. A developer for use with sensitized sheets comprising a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet thereto, a track guiding said sheets, an arcuated portion in said track, fingers engageable with said sheets in said track to move said sheets in one direction, means swingably supporting said fingers to pivot from substantially the center of curvature of said arcuated portion of said track, and means for holding said fingers out of contact with said sheets when said swingable supporting means swings in one direction.

9. A developer for use with sensitized sheets comprising a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet for said sheets, a track supporting said sheets within said receptacle, an arcuated portion in said track, gripping means engageable with said sheets to move the same in one direction, means swingably supporting said gripping means from substantially the center of curvature of said arcuated portion of said track, said swingable supporting means including a pair of relatively pivotal links, and means for pivoting said links to shorten the distance between said gripping means and the center of curvature of said arcuated portion of said track as said swingable supporting means is swung in one direction.

10. A developer for use with sensitized sheets including a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet thereto, means supporting said sheets during movement thereof from said inlet to said outlet, an arcuated portion in said supporting means, gripping means engaging said sheets for moving said sheets in one direction, means swingably supporting said gripping means to swing the same between two extreme positions, means holding said gripping means in engagement with said sheets as said gripping means is swung in one direction, and means holding said gripping means out of contact with said sheets as said gripping means is swung in the opposite direction.

11. A developer for use with sensitized sheets comprising a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet, means supporting said sheets as they travel from said inlet to said outlet, gripping means movable between two extreme positions engaging said sheets to move the same in one direction, cam means holding said gripping means in engagement with said sheets as said gripping means is moved in one direction, and came means holding said gripping means out of con-tact with said sheets as said gripping means is moved in the opposite direction.

12.A developer for use with sensitized sheets including an inlet and an outlet for said sheets, means supporting said sheets during the movement thereof from said inlet to said outlet, gripping means movable between two extreme positions engaging said sheets to move the same in one direction, cam means holding said gripping means in engagement with said sheets during movement in one direction, latch means limiting the movement of said gripping means in said one direction and preventing movement of said gripping means in the other direction while engaging said sheets, and cam means holding said gripping means out of engagement with said sheets while moving in said one direction.

13. A developer for use with sensitized sheets comprising a receptacle, a closure for said receptacle, an inlet and an outlet to said receptacle secured to said closure means, loop-shaped guides extending from said inlet to said outlet, said guides secured to said closure member for removal therewith.

14. A developer for use with sensitized sheets comprising a receptacle having a bottom, side walls, and an open top; a closure for said open top having an inlet and an outlet for said sheets therein; guide means for guiding said sheets from said inlet to said outlet secured to said closure member; and means for urging said sheets in one direction secured to said closure member.

15. A developer for use in combination with sensitized sheets comprising a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet, means supporting said sheets between said inlet and said outlet, a swingable arm, pivoted lever means on said arm, means secured to said lever engageable with said sheets in one direction of movement of said arm for moving said sheets in one direction, spring means for urging said arm in the opposite direction, and means for holding said sheet engaging means in retracted position during movement of said arm in said other direction.

ROBERT H. FULLERTON. 

